lseek(2) BSD System Calls Manual lseek(2)
NAME
lseek -- reposition read/write file offset
SYNOPSIS
#include <unistd.h>
off_t
lseek(int fildes, off_t offset, int whence);
DESCRIPTION
The lseek() function repositions the offset of the file descriptor fildes
to the argument offset, according to the directive whence. The argument
fildes must be an open file descriptor. Lseek() repositions the file
pointer fildes as follows:
If whence is SEEK_SET, the offset is set to offset bytes.
If whence is SEEK_CUR, the offset is set to its current location
plus offset bytes.
If whence is SEEK_END, the offset is set to the size of the file
plus offset bytes.
The lseek() function allows the file offset to be set beyond the end of
the existing end-of-file of the file. If data is later written at this
point, subsequent reads of the data in the gap return bytes of zeros
(until data is actually written into the gap).
Some devices are incapable of seeking. The value of the pointer associ-
ated with such a device is undefined.
RETURN VALUES
Upon successful completion, lseek() returns the resulting offset location
as measured in bytes from the beginning of the file. Otherwise, a value
of -1 is returned and errno is set to indicate the error.
ERRORS
Lseek() will fail and the file pointer will remain unchanged if:
[EBADF] Fildes is not an open file descriptor.
[EINVAL] Whence is not a proper value.
[EINVAL] The seek location (calculated from offset and whence)
is negative.
[EOVERFLOW] The seek location is too large to be stored in an
object of type off_t.
[ESPIPE] Fildes is associated with a pipe, socket, or FIFO.
SEE ALSO
dup(2), open(2)
BUGS
This document's use of whence is incorrect English, but is maintained for
historical reasons.
STANDARDS
The lseek() function conforms to IEEE Std 1003.1-1988 (``POSIX.1'').
4th Berkeley Distribution April 19, 1994 4th Berkeley Distribution
Mac OS X 10.9.1 - Generated Mon Jan 6 08:46:54 CST 2014